Lessons for the team [for slayers_desire]

[fractured_agent]

Every now and again, Jack stumbles over something else about being a leader that he doesn't know, and today is one of those days. While he'd known that Torchwood One trained their operatives in psychic shielding, he wasn't qualified to teach it himself, and psychic aliens are rare enough that it didn't occur to him that it might be necessary, especially with the high turnover rate of Torchwood Three personnel.

But today has reminded him that it's a very real danger, and necessary to shield against those sorts of intrusions.

He's in a bit better mood than last time as he calls the one person he feels is best qualified to teach this skill.

Comments

[slayers_desire]

"Good, concentrate on those places and concentrate on how they make you who you are..."

April silently projects her voices into Gwen's mind, since she is struggling right now, not wanting to call attention to the struggles. Gwen. Close your eyes and take deep breaths. Visualize yourself as a tree. As you breathe out, push the roots of the tree down deep into the earth. As you breathe in, extend your branches higher and higher into the air, until you are connected to both heaven and earth. Your safe place can be anything in your imagination

[fractured_agent]

Ianto has the easiest time following her instructions, thanks to his previous training. Tosh as well, though she's not as confident about it just yet. Owen has a rough time keeping himself completely on track, wondering what the point of mental pictures are against someone trying to crack into your head.

Gwen bites her lip as she listens to April's directions. Why a tree?

[slayers_desire]

Trees are often the most used image in creating strength and balance in the mind. You can choose something else... as long as it represents your true self

"I want everyone to visualize a sphere of pure energy surrounding you. One that makes you feel cocooned and safe."

[fractured_agent]

Strength and balance... Gwen thinks about it, then settles on goes with the idea of the silver sculpture that stands above the Hub, and continues down beneath, central to Torchwood with greater depths than the average passerby knows.

This next step is one that they all have a bit of difficulty with, trying to imagine what pure energy would even be like. Tosh is the one who excels the most, picturing energy as a force of technology, something she's intimately familiar with and can easily imagine.

Jack's mostly sitting back and observing, piggybacking on April's connection to them so he can see their progress more easily.

[slayers_desire]

"You can definite what how your energy appears, once again this could be something you are familiar with. That you can easily work with."

[fractured_agent]

This is a different technique than Ianto learned originally, so he has to think about it for a few moments before he makes his decision. His form of energy is pure thought, as clean and organized as he is.

Gwen decides to use water as hers, since the silver sculpture also functions as a fountain. Living in Cardiff, next to the sea, water is still a constant and an old symbol for life.

For Owen, he goes with what he knows, and makes his sphere out of life force.

They're quick studies, Jack comments privately to April, a bit proud of his team. They're quick to adapt, and he chose them for those reasons amongst many.

[slayers_desire]

They are very quick to adapt. When this lesson is done, I plan to test their mental shields. Just to see how ready they are...

"As you continue to build your energy sphere, I want you to only think of positive reinforcement. If there are any negative thoughts... it will weaken your control."

"Expand this sphere, make it like a living, breathing shield in your mindscape."

[fractured_agent]

Owen will have the toughest time with that. He's a negative person most of the time, and a skeptic to the core. He's never put any stock in 'supernatural nonsense' like this before, and it's hard to take it seriously even after seeing proof that it exists. "And if we think of enough happy thoughts we can fly?"

[slayers_desire]

"Negative thoughts are easier to get past than positive ones. They have weaknesses. Fear. Guilt. Sorrow. An enemy will use these against you, which is why it is important that your mental shield is free of any negativity."

[fractured_agent]

"This isn't just warm fuzzy feelings we're talking about here," Jack adds, sensing that Owen needs a bit of a kick in the pants, as usual. "You want people to stay out of your head, you'd better do this exercise, because otherwise you're wide open."

[slayers_desire]

"This mental shield has to be the best part of you. The strongest part of you."

[fractured_agent]

Owen sighs and rolls his eyes a bit. "All right, I'll play along."

Jack is rather glad for that, because the last thing they need is Owen's negativity throwing off the others as well.

[slayers_desire]

"This isn't a game. It can protect your sanity."

"Hold onto your shields. Embrace them. Do not let anything interfer with the shield. Concentrate on channeling your energy and your spirit into the shield, making it a part of you."

[fractured_agent]

Ianto has the best grasp of this part, remembering his previous lessons, although keeping the shields up all the time is quite a chore. The others, Owen especially, struggle to grasp the nuances of how to do it besides simply imagining.

Part of Jack wishes he could help them do this, but he knows that this is something you have to learn on your own. Even the Time Agency's training focused on self-discovery of your own limits and abilities, and while others can tell you how to do it, it isn't until you figure it out for yourself that you truly shine.

[slayers_desire]

"This is the hardest part for most people. Some will need to concentrate on enforcing their shield over and over again before it actually keeps in place."

"But you all have the strength and the ability. You can do it..."

[fractured_agent]

"And we have to do this constantly?" Gwen asks, a bit worried that she won't be able to do that.

"Not at first," Jack replies with a disarming smile. "But the more you practice, the more natural it seems."

[slayers_desire]

"And once you get better at creating one mental shield, creating multiple shields gets even easier."

"I want you all to concentrate on what you learned and create the best shield possible for yourself, at this moment."

Jack... I will passively attack them once they are ready

[fractured_agent]

You sure they're prepared for that? Jack is particularly worried about Owen.

[slayers_desire]

They need to feel true danger to their mind in order to fully understand the potential of a psychic shield

[fractured_agent]

Right now they think the worst that can happen is someone reads their thoughts, Jack agrees. A valid concern, to be fair, but not the only one. That's what happened with Mary and Tosh.

[slayers_desire]

But that is not the worst... I know they are worried about their secrets... but there is so much more at stake

[fractured_agent]

How far do you plan to take this today?

[slayers_desire]

You are their leader Jack. I will only test them as far as you feel they are ready

[fractured_agent]

I don't think they'll have a solid grasp on it by the end of today, that'll take practice. But we can let them get a taste of what might happen if they don't take this seriously, he decides. Push them, see how much 'pressure' it takes to crack their shields. Especially Owen.

[slayers_desire]

April gives no notice or warning to her test. She starts to concentrate as an enemy psychic would, trying to push on the shields that the four team members have created. Her first push won't be noticeable, as she is trying not to call attention on her actions, but also wants to see who will note the mental prying.